Viper Gets Fiercer With New Badge

The 2013 SRT (Dodge) Viper will be getting a new brand, a new look, and a new set of equipment with a focus on driveability. It will also be getting a new logo, which SRT revealed earlier this week.

The original Viper logo was a bit timid - it almost looked like a friendly backyard snake. The next Viper got angrier eyes and a fiercer set of fangs. And the newest Viper looks downright intimidating - its angry, defined eyes, coiled body language and razor fangs appear ready to pounce on the nearest piece of flesh. Overall, it looks like a solid evolution for the Viper logo.

Chrysler calls the logo quite fittingly "Stryker". The original, which was used between 1992 to 2002, was "Sneaky Pete" and the second generation one, which ran from 2003 to 2010, was called "Fangs." The new logo was designed to bring back the sinister look and evil grin of Sneaky Pete. Frankly, I don't get much evil or sinister from Sneaky Pete and I don't get a smile from Stryker, but both are cool logos.

The new logo was penciled by Chrysler designer Vince Galante, a Viper owner. The name was picked out during the 2010 Viper Owners Invitational in Salt Lake City.

The new Viper is expected to debut in a couple short months at the New York Auto Show. Dodge hasn't revealed the official details just yet, but rumor is that the car will be powered by a new 8.7-liter V-10 engine. It will also feature stability control. Dodge released the first teaser of the model last month.